Fashion Photographer

There is nothing quite like seeing glamorous fashion photography sprawled along glossy pages to really make you feel enchanted. With the right touch ups, angles, and lighting (not to mention the high-end designer apparel), a picture really can be worth a thousand words when it comes to fashion photography.

Fashion Photography

And these are not just your average photos. When fashion photography came about back in the early 1800’s, it was mostly based on the clothing and accessories that it was trying to sell. Today, however, things seem to have changed, just slightly. Sure, the products are still the main focus, but they are also captured in sexy, exotic locations on super stylish, beautiful men and women. On top of that, these photos are also enhanced with special effects that allow the color to pop even brighter off the page or helps hair to stand straight up to fill the page.

While others might prefer sports or educating their food palate, fashion photographers have to admit that they are more into sifting through fashion magazines looking at the beautiful spreads showcasing the latest trends. You’ve always dreamed of photographing pages like these with stunning models and gorgeous clothes, but you’ve never really known how to go about doing what these other fine photographers do. If this sounds like you, it might mean you have the urge to make this something more than just an afternoon hobby.

But how do you go about getting into fashion photography? It seems almost impossible to become the next Irving Penn or Patrick Dermarchelier, whom are both known for their amazing fashion splashes. However, it doesn’t have to be impossible. This career has to start with a dream. A fashionable dream of doing what you love in an environment that is as stylish as your creative eye. But you already have that dream. The rest is for you to observe and learn.

Photoshop work on Fashion Photography

To get your career rolling, it’s best to get the proper education. It’s smart to indulge yourself in the ins and outs of all things related to your field so you know how things work properly. You can first start off by taking individual classes at a local university or college in your town. To find out whether your local schools offer this type of class, all you need to do is go online to their website and search through the upcoming semester’s curriculum.

Now for those who are looking for more than just a class or two, don’t expect to find a fashion degree in photography. Instead, you will most likely be involved in professional photography degrees, where you’ll be able to take several classes that are focused solely on learning more about fashion photography. Many of these degrees which can be in the form of an associate or bachelors, offer a specialization in fashion photographer but an entire degree devoted to it is normally not available.

So after you have found the school where you plan on studying, you might question what exactly you can expect when it comes to your classes and coursework. There are many different classes you’ll be enrolled in when you are earning your photographer degree, such as courses on visual techniques and lighting along with education on how to work with a stylist or makeup artist properly to get the look you want in the photograph. There’s also a chance that you’ll learn about different editing techniques and different high-tech software programs that are used today.

Nikola Borissov Photo, a Fashion Photographer.

So is education the only thing that employers look for when they need to hire a fashion photographer? No. While this is a large part since they want to make sure that you had had the proper training in all aspects that fashion photography has to offer, there are other elements that employers will look for when they are in need of a photographer like this. Many will look for experience in the field, even if it’s just having your own blog or working with other photography projects. Employers like to see a portfolio that shows you have talent, drive, and experience. Style is another part that many look for when they want a photographer along with having the person behind the camera really understands composition and how to make things in front of the camera look their best.

Fashion photography is quite competitive field and should be known that before going into it. Several years can go by without you really getting your feet wet but it’s essential to continue to do what you love as your passion will be able to lead you to a decent income that can start in the $30,000 range for those just starting out. Try getting freelance gigs before spending all of your time looking for only salary positions as many companies look for someone they on call but not there everyday. This will also allow you to get more experience which is essential for a position like this.